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Saturday, December 09, 2006

I had to read this twice, and pondered an hour before posting. I am sorry to say this, but,LTG Chiarelli; I non-concur.

General Chiarelli, who will end his second year-long tour of duty in Iraq next month, indicated it has been a frustrating year in the country."I happen to believe that we have done everything militarily that we possibly can,"

I have had the pleasure enough to talk to some senior leaders up to and close to LTG Chiarelli both active and retired - and none of them think that. From reading the things he says in this article, and others, I don't think this quotes him in the right context. Well, I hope.From the borders, to the training cadre for Iraqi soldiers, to doctrine...the beat goes on. If this is our full measure, than I live in a parallel universe of self-delusion. Just for starters, read over some things that LTG Jay Garner (USA Ret.) has to say. I don't like some of his ideas, but some are worth looking at.

- Structure the career paths of American advisers so they are rewarded if they make the Iraqi battalion battle ready and penalized if they do not.

- Once the American advisory team certified the Iraqi battalion was combat ready, it would be inserted with that same battalion in a contested area now occupied by an American battalion. The advisory team would stick with the Iraqi battalion. It would have a quick channel for calling in helicopter gunships, fighter bombers, artillery fire and medical evacuation choppers with minimal delay. Pickup points for the medevacs would be established.

- The relieved American battalion would stay intact but be redeployed (Ungh. He needs a new word. I know what this means, but most will think of it in its Murthized version) in some nearby peaceful area. The Americans would stay there for several months as a 911 rescue force. If the Iraqi battalion demonstrated it could do the job on its own, the Americans would leave Iraq. "So you have a two-phased redeployment," Garner said. "In the first phase you get the U. S. faces off the street, but they stay in Iraq. In the second phase, they leave Iraq."

Give him a listen here as well (SUN AM you can hear a new interview with him here). I hope this is just an unfortunate quote from LTG Chiarelli. It simply isn't accurate - unless the decision has been made not to try to do any more. If that is the fact, where is the memo?PS: Don't forget to vote!